FGCU's Kappa Alpha Order raises $26,000 for wounded Navy veteran

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — The Kappa Alpha Order fraternity at Florida Gulf Coast University presented a wounded Navy veteran with a $26,000 track chair after years of fundraising.

The fraternity had been working toward this goal for four or five years, but struggled to secure the necessary funding. This year, the chapter unified its efforts and prioritized philanthropy alongside social events and recruitment.

"It's something that our fraternity has been looking forward to doing for the past four or five years, and we just haven't really been able to secure the funding," said Josh Mogensen, philanthropy chair for Kappa Alpha Order fraternity.

The fraternity raised money through dozens of events, including pumpkin patches and fishing tournaments. The brothers came together with one purpose: to give back to a veteran who had sacrificed for his country.

"What it took was just unifying our chapter, getting everyone on the same page," Mogensen said. "We have a lot of things to prioritize, our social scene, our recruitment events and sometimes philanthropy can kind of fall into the back burner."

Garrett Chopp, former president of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, said the momentum built as they got closer to their goal.

"When you realize you're that what you're that close, you don't want to stop now, right?" Chopp said.

The fraternity raised $26,000 for Craig Messina, a Navy veteran they had never met until the presentation. Messina served his country and made sacrifices that left him with physical limitations.

"Someone's selfless enough to give up their life, you know, not knowing if they're gonna come back to their family so that people can do this and be in America and be in the great country we live in," Chopp said.

Messina said he was speechless when he received the call about the track chair.

"I was speechless," Messina said. "He was just like, well, this is yours now, like, this is it. And I still, even now, sitting here, it's hard to fathom. You know, you don't, you don't expect people to give back. You know, I've done most of the giving my whole life, so to get something in return."

The track chair will allow Messina to spend more time with his children without worrying about physical limitations. He said the gift means he can focus on what matters most to him.

"Not have to worry about resting and be with my kids, which...I'm more than gracious for it, just spending time with my kids," Messina said. "That's it. That's all I need."

For the students who made this possible, the moment carried personal significance. Johnny Violissi, a junior in the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, said his grandfather was a Vietnam veteran, and his great-grandfather served in World War II.

"My grandfather was a Vietnam vet," Violissi said. "My great-grandfather was a World War II veteran. I know if my grandfather and my great-grandfather were here, they would love this too."

The presentation took place at FGCU's Swanson Stadium, marking the culmination of years of dedication and community effort by the fraternity.